Mariners find another gem in their jewel box for late heroics
Who knows what goes with a 95-mph fastball anymore? Certainly, not a strand of freshwater pearls. They get lost in the Mariners' home whites.
Maybe a choke chain, but white or yellow gold?
Dangle or hoop earrings? Studs?
Oh, what to wear? What is the look for mound apparel and accessories in today's game?
That was the question the Mariners and Cleveland Indians came away with yesterday before 45,818 at Safeco Field after Seattle's 3-2 victory in 11 innings. Pinch-runner Al Martin scored from second when Cleveland reliever John Rocker threw wildly to first on David Bell's sacrifice bunt.
What seemed to matter most in this game, however, was Mariners reliever Arthur Rhodes' fashion statement. Rhodes was brought into the game on short notice with a 2-2 score in the ninth inning because Kazu Sasaki couldn't continue. Sasaki still has a sore right thigh after being hit in the leg by the New York Yankees' Jorge Posada last week. He retired two batters, a runner was on first and Sasaki had thrown one ball to Omar Vizquel.
As Rhodes was finishing his warmup tosses, Vizquel asked the umpire to have Rhodes remove the diamond studs affixed to his ears. Rhodes had worn the earrings all last season and to this point this season and no batter ever asked for their removal. But they reflected the sun in Vizquel's direction.
"It was blinding," Vizquel said after the game. "It was like really standing out. Today, it was really big."
That set off Rhodes and both benches as well. There were no physical confrontations but a lot of chatter for about 10 minutes. Rhodes didn't like it but said he cooperated, removing the reflecting diamond stud from his right ear. He was asked to remove the left one, too. He protested, but eventually that came off too. When he stepped back on the mound he yelled, "Let's go" to Vizquel, and umpire crew chief Tim McClelland ejected him.
"It was very picayune on Vizquel's part," Mariners Manager Lou Piniella said. "Rhodes has had those on all year. A lot of players wear earrings. Arthur didn't take it too kindly."
Rhodes was offended, more by Vizquel's comeuppance than his fashion directive.
"I was mad. I'm not going to let a guy weighing 125 pounds tell me to take my earrings out. You think I'm scared of him?" Rhodes said. "When I face him again, I'm going right at him."
Asked what "right at him" meant, Rhodes said, "I can't tell you."
This just proves once again what a macho game baseball is. Invariably, it always comes down to the earrings.
Of all players to start this craziness, Vizquel, perhaps the most beloved former Mariner in the game. But when everyone cleared the field after the ejection, Vizquel was booed as he returned to the batter's box. Reliever John Halama, the third pitcher brought in to face Vizquel, induced an infield pop-up to end the inning.
The score held until the 11th inning when John Olerud drew a leadoff walk from Rocker (3-6) and was replaced on the basepaths by Martin. Mike Cameron then hit a slow bouncer to the right of Vizquel. His only play was to second, but Martin beat the throw. Bell then dropped his bunt in front of the mound. After fielding the ball, Rocker looked to third but threw a hard one-hopper past second baseman Roberto Alomar, who was covering first. Martin scored easily.
Starter Freddy Garcia's wildness contributed to both Cleveland runs. Alomar led off with a walk in the fourth inning, followed by Juan Gonzalez's hard single to left. Wil Cordero later brought home Alomar with a deep sacrifice fly to center.
With one out in the fifth, Kenny Lofton walked. Alomar's two-out walk pushed him to second, and Jolbert Cabrera, pinch-hitting for Juan Gonzalez, then singled to left to make it 2-0.
Garcia went eight innings, allowing two runs, six hits and six walks while striking out five.
The Mariners also benefited from walks in the sixth and seventh innings. Two would eventually come around to score.
In the sixth, Carlos Guillen drew a one-out walk from Jake Westbrook, in place of starter Chuck Finley, who left after two innings with a strained right ribcage. When Westbrook tried to pick off Guillen, the ball got past Jim Thome and Guillen advanced to second. He came home on Edgar Martinez's single to center.
The Mariners tied it 2-2 in the seventh with a walk, an ugly Dan Wilson slide at second base and a clutch two-out hit by Stan Javier.
Bob Sherwin can be reached at 206-464-8286 or bsherwin@seattletimes.com.